RE: Just Because You Can Afford it Doesn’t Mean You Should Buy It
Good blog @calaber24p
People have very different attitudes towards money and spending. When I studied media, I had a colleague who said he loves spending lots of money. A friend pointed out that this guy bought seriously overpriced iPhone. The same model was available for less elsewhere. The response was shocking to me. The colleague said that he prefers to overpay because he just likes the feeling of paying large amounts for something, regardless of its value. It left me speechless.
I am very much into low-cost living and self-sustainability. I love bargains and if something takes not much effort I prefer doing it myself over paying someone else for it. I prefer making things to buying things too.
Some people take a sense of power from spending. It makes them feel rich and therefore valued. It seems like a typical example of compensatory behaviour.
One thing I can relate to is the sense of empowerment that comes with wealth. I do not have a large budget, but I support different projects when it's possible. I love being able to do that, even if it's only on a small scale. It's incredibly rewarding. It's about having a tangible impact, creating visible change and being able to improve things for myself and others.
I have seen that same behavior @dana-varahi... people needlessly throwing money around because it "makes them feel important." It's very sad that someone can feel so completely DIS-empowered that they feel compelled to do that... I feel mostly sorry for them.
I know what you mean. The person I described didn't strike me as happy at all. I wouldn't want to be in their place.
I too am very interested into low cost living and life sustainability. I save almost every dollar I make that doesnt go to paying off loans just so I can retire early and enjoy myself. I could afford a laptop 10x the price, but I use a $300 one until it breaks.